Chuck Barney

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Hi Chuck – I agree. TNT, TBS and USA are becoming my favorite networks. I want to see scripted shows not cheap reality stuff. Royal Pains is really good, as is Leverage, HawthoRNe, …..not so sure about Dark Blue and Warehouse 13 and Diva; haven’t watched the last one yet. The major networks have got to get with it and stop going cheap on us with reality shows. PS I bought the “Eli Stone” dvd and now wish I had watched it at the time. Bad name for it…didn’t describe the show at all.

Steve

It is a nice relief to get some new series programming on cable. Have seen many of the shows mentioned and also, like Pamela, discovered others that began in earlier summers like Leverage and Burn Notice.

Is it me or is some of this stuff intentionally goofy? Warehouse 13, Royal Pains (maybe the most well done of the new shows, though I’m much of a romantic comedy fan) and some of the ‘older shows with new episodes’ seem to need to be taken with a grain of salt.

But hey, when you think back to where some of these shows get their inspiration…was “Mission Impossible” (Leverage) ever supposed to be a serious show? Warehouse 13 is goofy with no apologies and you simply go back to the several tongue in cheek episodes of the X Files and- as mentioned- the humorous/goofy parts of Indiana Jones and any number of other popcorn action movies to see where they’re drawing things from.

Burn Notice is in it’s third mini-season and for a certain kind of fan this James Bond on a beach/spy out in the cold etc show produced on a relative shoe string is cable gold. It’s guilty pleasure spy/action stuff that is old and uniquely original all at once. I find myself looking forward to Thursday nights here in the summer (even with a DVR) as I know the new BN is airing that night.

That such a cleverly written and amazingly produced (they work wonders with that shoestring) show snuck onto a cable network’s summer schedule 2 years ago makes me think cable really is the future of series TV.
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I’ve noticed some regular season, regular network shows which I definitely wouldn’t mind catching in reruns (because I missed episodes or just wouldn’t mind seeing them again) are MIA this summer.

Fringe is nowhere to be found- but then again, it didn’t air repeats during it’s hiatus periods during the regular season. Neither is Dollhouse – which I became a fan of as the season went on. Others too, like 11th Hour. Meanwhile, The Mentalist (which I also like) seems to be beginning it’s second round of rerunning episodes.

At first I thought maybe there was some creative stuff going on re: the reasons some shows aren’t being repeated (messing with the story arc of Fringe, or the fragile ratings of Dollhouse, which was barely renewed) – then I realized it’s way more likely simply money.

I figure It either costs the network more money -or they don’t make ‘residual’ money- to air an episode of a show like Fringe/11th Hour because they doesn’t own it or a big piece of it…

Shame. Though when NBC sticks a very good “B” grade new network show like “The Philanthropist” on at 10pm Wednesday nights, it’s great. The show may get traction and turn up during the regular season. If not, it’s good, well acted entertainment (with a little message) while it lasts- and that’s what trying major network drama (or any network show) out in the summer is all about, right?

Oh, wait a minute. Beginning in Sept, NBC is putting Jay Leno on every weeknight at 10pm. 46-48 weeks a year.

These hours would, typically, hopefully, have been programmed with quality dramas. Now they simply won’t be produced, replaced by a cheap-to-do talk show. At least until Jay quits for good… Something tells me that even if Jay’s ratings aren’t stellar across the board weekly, the Huge savings (a week of Jay will reportedly cost NBC approx what 1 hour of quality drama costs to produce). will make him a winner in NBCs bean counters’ eyes.

I’m neutral on Jay, not a fan, not a hater. But NBC took a misstep with Conan I think, and now we’re losing 150 hours of potentially good TV as they try to correct themselves.
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Re: Reruns. In these days of downloadable or streaming episodes of shows via the internet, I guess actual ‘summer reruns’ are becoming less important. But while I might watch a good drama or comedy on my computer or iPod, I’m a fan of action and sci-fi and want to see those shows on the big (TV) screen with surround sound.

All in all, the new shows and new episodes of older shows are a breath of fresh summer air- especially in a summer where many of us have less money in our entertainment budgets.

Seeing the beaches of the Hamptons (Royal Pains) and Miami (Burn Notice) won’t replace actually going to those places – or Hawaii. But they are a pleasant diversion.

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